Game apparatus



(No Model.)

J. W. V. RAWLINS.

GAME APPARATUS.

Patentd Oct. 16, 1888.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH V. V. RAWLINS, OF HANOOOK, MIOHIGAN.

GAME APPARATUS.

SPCIFICA'I'ION forming part of Letters Patent No. 391,273, date-d October 16, 1888.

Application filed April 5, 1888. Serial No. 269.692. (o model.)

To all zuhom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osEPH W. V. RAWLINs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hancock, in the county ofHoughton,State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exaet description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My present invention has for its object to provided an improved form ofgame apparatus; and to this end it consists in the various novel features of construction hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particnlarly pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

Fignre l is a view in side elevation of my improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a side view of one of the longitudinal sections of the frame. Fig. 3 is a view in Vertical section on line a: x of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a fractional view of a modified form of seat or rest and ball adapted to be used therewith.

A designates the frame of the structure, which may be supported upon suitable legs, a, or in any other convenient manner, and this frame is by preference formed of two longitudinal sections united together' by suitable screws, tt', that pass through suitable lugs orA iianges, a. This frame A is by preference formed of cast metahand in longitudinal sections, as shown, for eonvenience of casting, although it will be readily understood that the frame may be made of any other suitable material or formed in any other convenient nianner without departing from the spirit of my invention; and itis plain, also, that the precise size and shape of the frame may be varied within wide limits without departing from my invention.

From the extreme top of the frame A ex tends the inclined or curved track B, which terniinates, by preference, at a point directly or approximately over a suitable rest or seat, O, that is preferably formed as part of the sides A' of theframe, and I prefer also to provide this rest or seat with a front extension, O', for a purpose to be presently stated. The track B and the rest or seat O and its extension C' are shown as formed with reversely-inclined upper faces and as formed integral with the sides of the frame, and the rest or seat O is curved in the direction of its length so as to prevent the too easy escape ofthe ball D therefrom. It is plain, however, that the construction and shape of the track B and of the rest or extension (J and O', as well as their relative position, may be varied without departing from the invention. The ball D, which is to be used in connection with the parts above described, will be of suitable size to travel freely on the curved or inclined track B, and if properly started thereon to drop accurately upon and be retained by the seat O.

In the use of my im proved apparatus as thus far described the ball D will be started by the player from the top of the track B, and if started with the proper Velocity will pass down and around the curved track Band drop lightly upon and be retained by the seat O. If, however, too great a Velocity be given to the ball, it will go beyond or escape from the rest or seat O and will fall upon the front extension, O', thereof, from which it will roll onto the track B. So, also, if too little velocity be given to the ball D by the player, it will fall short of the rest or seat O and will merely roll backward on the track. It will thus be seen that the accuracy with which the ball is caused to lodge upon the rest or seat O will depend upon the skill of the player.

It is obvious that any number of players may engage in the game and that any system of eounting maybe adopted.

The sides A' of the frame are by preference of lattice or open-work structure, not merel y lfor the advantage of lightness and ornanlental appearance thereby attained, but for the further reason that the opening in the sides thus formed will pcrniit ready access to the track B and to the seat O, for the purpose of removing the ball therefrom after each play. In order to render the lodging of the ball upon the seat or rest O more or less difficult, to compensate for the increased skill of the players, I prefer to provide the apparatus with an eecentric or shifting` piece, E, provided at its ends with journals c, that pass through the sides A' of the frame at a point adjacent the terminus of the track B, and it will be readily seen that by shifting this eccentric E, by

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means of set-screw E', the lodging of the ball upon the seat or rest O can be rendered more or. less difficult.

If it be assumed that the track adjacent the eccentric E is so curved as to most easily deflect the ball into the seat G, obviously it will be more difficult to deposit the ball upon the seat if the eccentric G be so turned and set as to prevent the ball following the track to the end. It is apparent, also, that any suitable form of shifting plate may be employed instead of the eccentric to accomplish the same purpose.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings I have shown the seat or rest 'O as provided with a conical up- Wardly-projecting pin, c, theshank c' of which extends through a suitable hole in the seat, and may be held therein, if desired, by a threaded nut, c'. The purpose in thus providing the seat with the conical pin is to increase the difficulty of lodging the ball upon the seat, and When the conical pin is employed a ball, D', provided with conical perforations, will be used. Vhen the rest O is thus provided With the conical pin c, and a ball D', with conical depressions is used, the lodging of the ball upon the rest can only be effected at the times when the ball drops in such position that the conical pin shall enter the corresponding depr'essions. In this modified form of the apparatus it is plain that the lodging of the ball becomes rather a matter of chance than of skill upon the playerls'part.

It is obvious that, if desired, the track B can be made narrow, and instead of a ball a suitable disk of any kind-such, for example, as a coinmay be used thereon. I regard the use of a ball, however, as preferable, although I wish this term as used in the claims to b'e understood as including also any other circular body.

Having thus described my invention,'what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A game apparatus comprising a vertically inclined or curved track, whereon a ball may be rolled, the front portion of said track being downwardly inclined or curved, and the rear portion of said track being extended upward and higher than the base lportion of the track, and being inclined or curved to permit the ball to drop therefrom, in combination with a seat or rest adapted to receive said ball as it drops from the track, substantially as described.

2. A game apparatus comprising a Vertically inclined or curved track, whereon a ball may be rolled, and a seat or rest adapted to receive said ball, and provided with van extension located in front of said seat or rest and intermediate the terminal portion and lower portion of said track to return the ball into the track, substantially as described.

. 3. A game apparatus comprising an inclined or curved track, whereon a ball may roll, and a seat or rest adjacent the terminus of said track adapted to receive the ball, andprovided near the end of said track with a Shifting piece or eccentric, substantially as described.

4. A game apparatus comprising an inclined or curved track, whereon a ball may roll, and a seat or rest adapted to receive said ball, said seat or rest being provided with a pin adapted to enter eorresponding perforations in the ball, substantially as described.

5. A game apparatus comprising a vertically inclined or curved track, whereon a ball may be rolled, the front portion of said track being extended downward and the rear portion of said track being extended to a point considerably higher than the bottom portion of the track, and being inclined or curved to- Ward the front portion of the track, in combibination With a seat or rest located beneath the terminal portion of the track, said track and said rest being provided With side flanges to retain the ball thereon7 substantially as described.

6. A game apparatus comprising a frame formed of two longitudinal Sections snitably united and having a track vertically inclined, substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth, and having a rest or seat whereon a ball may lodge, said track and said rest or seat being formed integ'ral with the sides of the frame, substantially as described.

7. A game apparatus comprising a frame, A, having a track, B, the front portion whereof is downwardly inclined or curved, and the terminal portion whcreof is inclined or curved to a point considerably higher than the base portion of said track, and a rest, O, located below the terminal portion of said track, said frame having suitable openings in said sides to permit the withdrawal of the ball, substantially as described.

J OSEPH VV. V. RAWLINS.

WVitnesscs:

MICHAEL FINN, M. R. REDMOND.

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